


Sherlollipops - Stood Up

by MizJoely



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, Fluff, Start of Something New, pre-sherlolly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-20
Updated: 2014-08-20
Packaged: 2018-02-13 23:51:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2170056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MizJoely/pseuds/MizJoely
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was obvious she'd been stood up, the interesting young brunette. And it was just as obvious that he wanted to know more about her. Pre-Sherlolly fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sherlollipops - Stood Up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [canibecandid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/canibecandid/gifts).



> For the lovely canibecandid, who had a bad night. Rated K+, AU, enjoy!

“Is this seat taken?”

The woman looked up, clearly startled by his presence at her booth in the back of the restaurant, but returned his smile tentatively as he slid into the seat opposite her without waiting for permission he was confident of receiving. “Sherlock Holmes,” he said, offering his hand.

“Molly Hooper,” she replied, taking it, grinning self-consciously at the sight of her tiny hand engulfed by his larger one. He held it a moment longer than was strictly necessary for politeness, nothing the slight intake of her breath, the widening of her eyes before she lowered her lids, the sudden presence of a dimple in the corner of her cheek. “I’m sorry, but do you mind if I ask what this is about?”

“You’ve been stood up,” he replied easily as he leaned back, first gesturing for the waitress. He ordered a coffee, Molly did the same, and they returned to studying one another rather than the menus the waitress left behind. “I’ve seen you frowning at your mobile, clearly waiting for a text or a call, but it’s remained silent. You’ve also been watching the door, scanning every female face that enters. Is it a work colleague or a friend? I presume it’s not a date since you aren’t exactly dressed to impress, unless you’re waiting for someone with whom you are already in a relationship and feel comfortable enough to dress in you every-day clothes?”

She’d frowned at the ‘not dressed to impress’ comment, so he knew it was one of those ‘a bit not good’ things John was always going on about, but was smiling again by the time he fell silent. Good. He liked her smile, it was what he’d been hoping to coax out of her when she caught his attention as he sat at the counter while waiting for John and Mary to join him. He’d already texted them of course and told them he had a case – so essentially he was standing them up just as Molly Hooper, Specialist Registrar at St. Bart’s Hospital, was being stood up by her…co-worker, he decided, just as she said, “Co-worker. And friend, I suppose, although we usually don’t chat much outside of work. She and her boyfriend just broke up so tonight was supposed to be just us girls having a glass of wine and crying about how awful men are.” The dimple made a reappearance as she added, “ Present company excluded of course. Unless you’re just some stalker-type trying to chat me up on a bet.”

He gave her an offended look. “I don’t chat women up on bets,” he replied frostily. “I was bored, you looked interesting, and it was clear that whoever you were going to meet was late, possibly not coming at all – and perhaps,” he added as Molly’s mobile signaled an incoming text, “that will be confirmation?”

It was, indeed, confirmation. “One of the doctors from Paediatrics offered to take her for drinks, and she’s just now remembering that we had plans,” she said wryly, showing him the message before laying the phone on the table. “So I’ll just let her stew a bit and wonder if I’m mad at her before I answer her back.”

Sherlock grinned as he took a sip of his coffee. “Oh? And why not simply tell her you’re having drinks with someone else as well? No need to tell her it’s just coffee.” Then, after a moment’s thought, he added, “And the reason it’s not wine is because I don’t want you to think I’m trying to get you drunk and take advantage of you.”

“Oh, I’m not worried about that, Sherlock,” Molly replied, taking a sip of her own coffee and smiling at him over the rim of the cup. “Your reputation is pretty spotless when it comes to things like dating, or so your friend John Watson’s blog seems to indicate. ‘Married to your work,’ is that right?”

His eyebrow raised in mild surprise; she read John’s blog, did she? “Yes, well, even a man who professes to be married to his work can sometimes feel the need for a night away from the old ‘ball and chain’,” he replied, keeping his tone light, trying not give away how utterly serious he was. He didn’t often find himself intrigued by another person enough to want to get to know them better, to learn everything about them from their own lips rather than by deducing them, but he found that was exactly how he felt about Molly. 

However, he did want to let her know what he had deduced about her, and so informed her of her profession, just as a sort of test to see how she reacted. He wore a satisfied smile when she nodded and asked if he’d seen her ID badge peeping out of her purse.

They spent a pleasant evening together; Dr. Hooper was intelligent and friendly and had a rather morbid sense of humor that appealed to him, although he could see where it might put other people off. They discussed autopsies that had intrigued her, and details of cases that hadn’t made John’s blog. After they’d eaten – steak for him, soup and salad for her, although there was no reason for the petite brunette to be watching her weight in Sherlock’s opinion – they exchanged phone numbers, although he could tell she didn’t think he’d actually call her. “I’m not on a case,” he blurted out as he paid the bill for their dinner – he’d had a bit of an argument with her over that, that ended with her agreeing to let him have a bagful of toes from the morgue to experiment on, if he ever felt like dropping in at her workplace. “This…it wasn’t for a case. I meant everything I said to you, Molly Hooper. I do hope you believe me.”

She smiled as she slipped her coat over her cherry-patterned jumper and brightly colored blouse. “You know, I think I do,” she said as they headed for the door. Then she tiptoed up and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. “And if you ever do want to give me a call, I promise to wear something a little more dressy for our first date.”

“Second date,” he insisted as he tucked her arm through his and led her onto the pavement. He hailed a taxi, and kissed her just as she’d kissed him, softly and on the cheek…although he let it linger a bit. “I look forward to that second date very much, Molly.” Then he helped her into the cab and watched as it drove off. His mobile chimed an incoming text, and he held it up, smiling as he read: _Fine, second date, then. My choice?_

_Absolutely,_ he texted back. _I’ll pick you up tomorrow night around seven._

Her response was immediate and very pleasing. _See you then._

He grinned and started walking down the street. Yes, the work was important, but John and Mary had taught him the value of friendship as well, and he very much looked forward to continuing to expand his small circle of friends with the addition of Molly Hooper.

__And not just because she could get him body parts, either._ _


End file.
